The Impact and Importance of a Restaurant’s Font and Color Choices

In the last few months, many restaurants and foodservice brands have had to reevaluate branding and marketing strategies. One crucial point to consider: the impact that font and color choice have are often overlooked, and it shouldn't be. Restaurants especially need to be cognizant of their font and color choices, from the actual logo to the website to the menus. 

Consumers are drawn to aesthetically pleasing brands, whether that's a good thing or not. The COVID-19 crisis has brought downtime for many restaurants, so right now is an excellent opportunity to reimagine their branding image. This way, when life resumes on a more familiar scale, and people are regularly dining in, restaurants can make a fresh impression. Here's why restaurants should put more effort into their consideration process for choosing fonts and colors. 

Colors Impact Emotions

Colors can change someone's mood. Brands can build on this idea when choosing their unique colors. For example, if a restaurant wants to convey a moody and romantic ambience, they may want to opt for darker and intense hues like burgundy or plums. In contrast, if a vegan pop-up shop wants to evoke casual, light-hearted energy, it may feature pastel tones. 

Not only can color transform customers' moods and views of the restaurant overall, but it's also a great way to maximize interior design. A lighter color scheme can make a room look larger, while lots of darker tones can make an area appear smaller and cramped. 

Fonts Can Solve Any Identity Crisis

If colors are dipping a toe into the water, then fonts are diving in. A font is a tool that many branding experts fail to give enough credit to for heavy lifting. The way logotype is designed can completely transform a restaurant's overall appearance and perception from the consumer point of view.

Fonts, in a sense, give restaurants a defined, recognizable personality. For example, italic options may exude feminine or sophisticated auras. Or, modern font typology can influence feelings of power, confidence, and style. Restaurants should consider their type of cuisine and their desired ambience when choosing a logo font. Logo fonts should portray exactly who the restaurant is. As far as menu and website fonts are concerned, these choices can stray from the original logo option. Instead, restaurants can mix and match or subtly coordinate. 

Restaurants already have a lot on their plate (literally and figuratively), and it may feel like font and color choices are just another branding aspect to pile on top. However, these minor details actually can make a significant impact. A brand's colors and fonts have the power to influence their target consumer audience, and ultimately draw in more business and social media followers. 

Because many restaurants have had a slow season, they may want to check out reimagining their overall images before reopening. Consult with a professional graphic designer or agency to maximize your brand impact.